:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/74NWZ4ZQ675JB6QVEAZQU2QYWI.jpg)
Thirteen monkeys have been killed in a fire at Woburn Safari Park in England.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of Tuesday in the Patas monkey house within the African Forest drive-through enclosure of the park in Bedfordshire.
“Staff and fire crews attended the scene; however, devastatingly for everyone at the park, none of the 13 animals could be saved,” a spokesman for the park said.
All other animals within the enclosure are being monitored but early signs suggest they have not been affected.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VUJVRGDI5KXIUEMCVE3VZAKMDM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/MSBS5WSGNLR77U4L3ZJGOUEMQM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EDRXCXRXQCGAZZ354D4DB2H7TI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CGATCU4R47NGLVH2JBLFFO47GE.jpg)
An investigation is under way into the cause of the fire and the park will remain open.
The fire follows a recent blaze at London Zoo in which an aardvark and four meerkats were killed. The annual stock-take at the zoo, which was due to take place on Tuesday, has been postponed until February as a consequence of the fire.
The fire broke out in the animal adventure section of the zoo on December 23rd, destroying the cafe, shop and about half of the adjacent petting zoo. - PA